For almost 50 years, DC Comics has cinematically told tales of their heroes saving the world in a multitude of features, with the majority of them headed up by Batman – both campy and serious - and Superman, who will next be seen in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel later this summer. Even the anti-heroes of Watchmen got their due time onscreen. But what of the villains who always get shafted in the end? When will they get their time to shine, while no doubt smiling mischievously while palming the Doomsday Device?
Warner Brothers Entertainment and DC Entertainment will shine a spotlight on comic book baddies for a feature-length documentary titled Necessary Evil: Villains of DC Comics, according to a press release. The dastardly documentary isn’t just about the movie enemies, and will cover the entire span of DC’s history. The press release specifically names the Joker, Deathstroke, Darkseid, Bane and Lex Luthor as part of the film’s focus, but you can bet dozens more will at least appear, if not be spoken about at length. This is a vast and colorful list of characters, and the doc will feature interviews with some of their creators and the writers and artists that have carried on their twisted legacies over the years.
None other than the legendary Christopher Lee will step in to narrate Necessary Evil. With a signature voice that instantly brings to mind his Dracula roles from his Hammer Films days, not to mention the icon status he gave to such characters as Count Dooku, Francisco Scaramanga and Saruman. If there were ever a need for an evil narrator, there’s no need to look further.
Geoff Johns, celebrated comic author and DCE’s Chief Creative Officer, is quite excited about the project, which is great, since the film adaptation of Justice League , a series Johns is very familiar with, is forever teetering between production starts and delays. He had this to say:
“DC Comics is known for many things, but chief among them is the compelling, diverse and legendary society of super-villains who populate its universe. From the monstrous Solomon Grundy to the brutal Black Adam to the charismatic Sinestro, there is no single greater collection of villainy in all of fiction. These villains are hugely popular comic book characters in their own right and, quite honestly, many are often times more popular than some of our iconic super heroes. It’s time we deconstruct these complex and sinister antagonists and celebrate the role they play as the engine and energy of some of the greatest storytelling in comics. 2013 is the Year of the Villain at DC Comics.”
Production will begin on the film on March 30 at WonderCon, held at the Anaheim Convention Center, and convention attendees are invited to wear their favorite villain costumes for a chance to be shown in the film itself. Similar tactics for future festivals are planned, so if you can’t make it to this one, don’t get your Riddler tights in a twist.
Thanks to Yahoo! Movies for the press release.
